A Knight In Arkham
by stevebond1990
Summary: Jason Todd was held in an abandoned sector of Arkham Asylum for nearly a year, he waited for Batman to find him. Batman never came, someone else rescued him. he returns three years later with two goals: test a prototype Spec Ops armour for the Commonwealth Stellar Command and get revenge on his former captor. AU
1. Chapter 1

A knight in Arkham

Chapter 1: Memories

" _Hello? Is Someone there?" the young man cranes his neck desperately as slow, deliberate footsteps echo from beyond the narrow circle of light, "Batman? Is that you?" the fragile hope is plain to hear._

" _Batman isn't coming to save you, Jason," the prisoner flinches away from the figure hissing in his ear._

" _He'll come," the man in a red cuirass, green trousers and black boots argues._

 _The figure, clad in a purple pinstriped suit, mustard yellow shirt with acid green hair, plaster white skin and an exaggerated make up clown smile shakes his head then leans over his prisoner's shoulders, "It's been six months now, Jason," the figure then gets a cruel smile, "I think it's time to face facts."_

" _Screw You!" Jason growls, rocking roughly in the wheelchair he's bound to and spitting as best he can at his gaoler._

 _The gaoler recoiled then smiled warmly, "That's the Spirit. You're a real chip off the ol' Batblock," he then looks away and mutters to himself, "not that it'll do you any good."_

" _Why won't you just Kill ME!"_

" _What?" the gaoler actually seemed genuinely shocked, "no, no, no, no, I'm not going to kill you… not yet, anyway. You're my sidekick now," Jason started struggling again, "Imagine it. You and me, together, out on the streets, starting fights, picking on the weak. A regular Dynamic Duo. Just like Bats and that new kid of his."_

" _No, he wouldn't," Jason said, almost pleadingly, not seeing the gaoler pull out a photo._

" _You think?" the gaoler asked, almost sincerely, then leant down and held the photo for Jason to see, who looked then recoiled, "so, this isn't Batman then, hmm, weird," the gaoler stood up and examined the photo once more, "The pointy ears are usually a dead giveaway…"_

" _No!" Jason whispered pleading._

 _The gaoler looked at Jason then put the photo away, "I didn't want to show you that photo, really I didn't. But, well it was the only way for you to get closure."_

 _The gaoler then took several steps forward, holding a crowbar, "Now, I know it hurts," he then stopped and took a stance for a golf swing, Jason looked up in time and shook his head in panic, "but you gotta be cruel to be kind," Jason cried out as the tool struck him and his wheelchair shot off into the darkness, soon followed by his gaoler._

The screen flickered, then a similar image appeared.

 _Jason hung by his bound hands from a claw, he looked asleep._

" _What do we have here?" the gaoler stepped out of the darkness, holding a glowing branding iron, he leans down in front of Jason, "wakey, wakey."_

 _Jason wakes and starts struggling._

" _What's wrong? Do you think I'm going to hurt you?" the gaoler asks, walking slowly in front of Jason, "Why? I'm not the bad one here. Oh, no, no, no, no. It's Batman, thrown you away like an unwanted puppy," the gaoler crouch down, looking away from Jason, holding his hands together as though begging, "Can I have him, daddy. Oh, please, please, please, please, please. I'll take weal good care of him," he said mockingly in a little girl voice._

 _He then stood up, stepped forward, performing a one eighty and stood straight, holding the iron like a rod, "anything to make you happy, princess. Just make sure everyone knows he's yours."_

 _The gaoler clicked his fingers and the claw opened, dropping Jason to the floor, Jason struggled to regain his bearings, "we don't want him ending up back here, do we."_

 _Jason sat upright just as the gaoler started towards him ominously, he tried to scurry away as fast as he could, "No we don't, daddy, I want to keep him forever."_

 _Just as Jason left the circle of light, the gaoler pounced, "No, no, please? No, No…"_

The video cut off as a horrific cry of agony pierced the darkness.

"Jason!" tears flowed freely down her mask and onto her cheeks, she reached out and touched the screen, as if wishing to reach through and pull the tormented man out.

Batgirl, a.k.a Barbara Gordon, had entered the disused wing of Arkham Asylum following a lead on Joker's latest escape after Aaron Cash noted he'd been seen entering and leaving several times in the past year, they hadn't investigated the building as Joker was always found leaving or just inside as the guards entered.

Cash had then said the wing was closed after the money for the upgrades to the security systems dried up, it had been closed as the older systems were considered a risk compared to the newer systems in the other facilities. She'd caught some grumbling from the guards at that point about how the solid state electronics weren't hackable anymore and the hydraulic mechanisms for the cell doors couldn't be bypassed, leaving the inmates trapped in the event of a riot. She'd looked into it herself and agreed, nothing she had could do a damn thing unless hooked up to the main board in the control room which was all too easily fortified.

Cash also mentioned the security systems were regularly maintained in case they needed the wing again, so if Joker was up to anything the mainframe may have a recording. She'd braced herself for any number of things…

But not what she'd pulled from the Mainframe's camera recordings.

She'd had a crush on Jason since they met, and judging by his body language and flirting shortly before he disappeared he felt the same way, but he'd disappeared before either could do anything.

For nearly four months they'd searched, her, Batman and Nightwing, but after that Nightwing had headed for Bludhaven and Batman had returned to his patrols, that isn't to say he wouldn't investigate any credible leads but they seemed few and far between, but then Tim had come along and...

She clenched her fists in anger, Batman had at least taken a pragmatic stance about a new Robin but Dick had given Jason up for dead, and then the prick had the nerve to flirt.

Well, he never tried that again.

She didn't know if she could watch the last tape, but she had to, she had… they had to know.

 _Jason's hung up again, this time bound to a meat hook, the time stamp indicates ten months have passed since he disappeared, almost two weeks before; his outfit is ragged, hanging off him. Several of Joker's thugs step into the light, including one she wasn't expecting._

" _Johnny Five Aces, been a while," Jason's greeting is met by a punch to the face._

" _No thanks to you," Johnny retorted, "but tonight's not about me, Boys!"_

 _The thugs close on Jason, tearing into him with fists, brass knuckles, lead pipes, baseball bats, anything and everything, it was the hardest fifteen minutes of cctv she'd ever watched as her friend was beaten to a pulp._

 _After a while Johnny called them off, "enough, the Boss wants him breathing."_

 _As Johnny steps forward, Jason looks up, his breathing is laboured, cracked or broken ribs, "That's it? Harley love taps harder than that!"_

 _Johnny growls but signals the thugs back, "Love taps, huh? Well, maybe I'll just have to change that?" he walks over, drawing a long knife, he grabs Jason's belt and tears the blade down through his pants._

 _Her breath catches in her throat as her eyes lock on the prime piece of knockwurst now hanging free, but Johnny's next sentence crashes her hormone induced fantasy._

" _Joker said you had to be breathin', not whole or male."_

 _Her eyes widen but gunfire erupts before Johnny can lift the knife, a rifle round catches Jonny's head at an angle, painting Jason with what passed for Aces' brains but otherwise not harming him. The rest of the thugs fall quickly._

 _After a few seconds soldiers in strange armour enter view, most start checking the bodies but two head for Jason, but are interrupted by a thug playing dead sinking a knife into one of their squadmates, the retaliation is swift._

" _Fuck, get him to evac," one of the others puts the wounded man in a fireman's lift and carries him out, "who the fuck is this, a featherbrain wannabe?"_

" _That gears the real deal," another soldier said._

 _One of the soldiers removes his helmet, revealing a handsome forty something man with greying brown hair, "Can you hear me?"_

" _Who are you?" Jason asks nervously._

" _Captain Balgowen, The Rifles, It's ok, you're safe now," the captain replied, then looked to one of the others, "cut him down!"_

 _As the soldier drew his knife and started at the bindings, Jason looked at Balgowen, "What's a British Unit doing in Gotham?"_

" _Hunting a POI, got a lead he frequented here, lucky for you, can you walk?" Balgowen caught Jason as he collapsed._

" _Not really," Jason gasped for breath, clutching his ribs._

" _We'll get you fixed up," Balgowen turned to the other three, "We're leaving, we'll catch up to them another day."_

 _Just as the men walked out of picture, one spotted the camera and shot it._

Just then the doorbell rang, Barbara closed her laptop in frustration, she put her laptop on the coffee table, stood up and walked over to the door, "Colleen? Is that you, again?"

But when she opened the door, it wasn't Colleen…

" _CANDYGRAM!"_


	2. Chapter 2

A Knight in Arkham

 **A/N: This fic is firmly AU**

Chapter 1:

"Hey Jack, didn't think they'd let you outta the clink?" Jack O'Neill grimaced at Ferreti's question.

"I think the President worked out a deal," Jack replied as he and his team took their seats in the briefing room, alongside SG-2 under Ferreti, SG-4 under a snakeless and freshly recovered Kowalsky, and one of the twelve man CSC teams.

' _Commonwealth Stellar Command, yeah the good ol' US ain't the only ones keeping secrets,'_ Jack thought as he took in the green uniforms.

* * *

The CSC began as a joint research group between Great Britiain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa after an old (by Gould standards) Goa'uld transport ship was discovered south of El' Alamein following a stuka attack on an ancient Egyptian temple in 1942. An FTL test flight in 1947 had resulted in the discovery of another alien ship in Alpha Centauri, this time of human origin, though the crew had apparently died from depressurisation.

Examination of the wreck had led to a panic, as the hull breach was caused by weapons fire from Goa'uld ships, and a crash creation of not only a united military command and research detachment, but also a new international government, the Commonwealth Parliament, due to its secret nature it had little say in the day to day running of the countries but it could make its voice heard.

The wreck became the hub of CSC operations, both because it was out of the way but also because it's technology used little, if any, Osirisite (aka, Naquadah) in construction and operation, the first result was a home built version of a transport found In the hangar, the Hawker Atlas, in 1959, production of which lead to movement of men and material to allow construction of an actual space station around the wreck, expanding steadily to a four slip shipyard today, one of which permanently held the wreck.

The CSC technology base was decades ahead of the SGC, featuring not only FTL capable fighters, bombers and transports but two frigates and a new destroyer.

It was the existence of the last three that had caused the chaos of the last month, the destroyer had been on a shakedown run through the Solar System when Apophis arrived, the destroyer had fought fiercely but had nearly lost as it was designed to equal a Hat'tak, _One_! Not two. The frigates arriving not only saved the ship, and Earth, but had given SG-1 the chance to escape, only for them to end up in the older frigate's brig and the President receiving a chewing out from the Commonwealth ambassadors.

* * *

"Alright, you all know how the cards have fallen," the CSC colonel said as he stepped in, staring at each man and woman in turn, "The US got it in their heads to blunder through the Stargate network and kicked the Hive, bringing the King to Earth and forcing us to clean up the mess."

Jack winced, harsh but true.

"Now we've stepped in the US have to play by our rules," Colonel Balgowen continued, "The US have joined Parliament, though not without complaint, and given the CSC control of the Stargate Program and all its assets. Normally we'd scrap the US program as it's not only junior but inferior, however we don't have Stargate Operations as such, so the SGC will be incorporated into our existing structure as a new Command separate to the Army and Navy, that means they need to bring us up to speed on their side of things as they integrate into the CSC, for this purpose Command has decided to implement a joint training op to test both some new toys but also how our different unit structures in a controlled environment."

"This, is the Area of Operations," a 3D projector turned on to show an island that looked familiar to Jack.

"Arkham Asylum?" Jack asked.

Balgowen nodded, "glad to see you recognise it, Arkham Asylum is famous in America as the place where they treat so called 'Super-Villains' of their Insanity, in the past four years the already high security has been upgraded to beyond State-of-the-Art…"

"Yet it has a reputation for having a revolving door," Jack looked at the speaker, a young man with black hair, he didn't look impressed.

"There's a reason they're called _Super_ -villains, the most high profile inmates are largely locals from nearby Gotham City, but there are a few from other climes," Balgowen elaborated, "concern has been raised over several of the inmates, some have strange abilities or powers beyond your average human, but also due to the seeming inability to hold these individuals for long. The Higher Ups want an evaluation of the Asylum, its security and the inmates, so you'll be pitted against not only the best security tech in the World outside one of our facilities, but also potential adversaries far removed from the norm in our line of work."

"Don't forget the Bat-freak and his feathered brained sidekick," the soldier from before added.

"True, Batman may try to stop you or capture you, don't let him, at worst we'll beam you out, but let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Jack, his team and curiously the smart mouthed soldier shivered, the CSC Teleporters were more advanced than Goa'uld rings but nowhere near as refined, he'd seen what had happened to the slab of pork they'd sent through before him to check it was safe, not to mention the actual sensation.

"There are several persons of interest:" Balgowen continued, activating the projector again.

"First is this man, only known as Bane, his huge size and musculature comes from an experimental drug called Venom, the product of an illegal super-soldier project in South America…"

"Someone's been reading too many Marvel comics!"

"I quite agree, when not under Venom's influence he's fairly reasonable, but under Venom he becomes a Beserker, nearly unstoppable."

Click.

"Next is Dr Penelope Young, of note because she's been experimenting with Venom, why or what is unknown, finding out is a priority."

Click.

"Pamela Isley, Poison Ivy, she has a curious connection to plants and can control how they grow and the way they react to humans, the question has been asked if she could use her abilities to create plants that can clean the toxins and pollution in the soil as well as radiation, while an important inquiry it's not a priority, give her a wide berth if you can and try not to provoke her."

Click.

"What The Heck!"

"Kiler Croc," the smartarse grimaced.

Balgowen nodded grimly, "we don't know his real name but he was born with a mutation that turned his body partly reptilian, he's built like a tank, his skin has scales that'll turn a knife and he's carnivorous, and supposedly he's already taken a bite out of some of the guards."

"Not a rumour," Smartarse disagreed, "just look up one Aaron Cash."

Jack gulped as Balgowen continued, "we aren't interested in him as such, but if you get the chance put him down."

Click!

"What the Deuce?"

"Harley Quin."

"She's going Down!"

"Todd!" Balgowen barked, "Dr Harleen Quinzel, aka Harley Quin, formerly a staff member at Arkham, she was turned by the Most Infamous of the facility's inmate and now functions as his right hand girl and lover alternately."

"Less of the lover and more of the Lieutenant," Smartarse disagreed, he shivered for a moment, "when I was their captive I rode the Harley once, tighter than a Vegas virgin on Prom night."

" _You_? You rode the…"

"Enough! Quin is one of the primary targets, observe but be prepared to intervene if things get out of hand, but as Todd said, she answers to another."

Click!

"Holy…"

"What the Deuce!"

"The Joker," Smartarse, aka Todd, growled, "the self-professed Clown Prince of Crime."

"Correct, no one knows who he really is, but it is known that a run in with Batman was partially responsible for the transformation into this maniac. He was first entered into Arkham ten years ago, less than a week after Batman first appeared…"

"That Bastard has a _Lot_ to answer for!" Todd spat.

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, or would if he hadn't shaved them off, "do you mean Batman or this Joker?"

"Joker was sent to Arkham for the first time after he threw himself off a thirty story building," Todd explained, "every crime Joker committed, every life he's taken, is because Batman just _Has_ to save everyone!"

Every American looked to Balgowen who nodded in confirmation, "It's true."

"Joker looks thin and weak but he can hit like a truck when he wants to and can match all but a Master at martial arts," Todd added, "he's also, a marksman with handguns, a genius and well versed in chemical warfare, despite or maybe because his mind is twisted into knots. He's used most common conventional chemical weapons at one point or another, but he has two custom mixes that are his signature: the first is a type of laughing gas that'll make you laugh until you pass out, the other is a nerve gas he calls 'Happy Gas', it'll kill you and leave a stretched smile on your face like his."

"Now, Joker is currently free but sources indicate both the GCPD and Batman are closing in on him, we want SG-1 and B section to infiltrate Arkham's guard detail, the rest of you will infiltrate the island and act as a reserve force in case it all goes to hell."

The four CSC men mentioned looked at Balgowen like he'd grown two extra heads, "what are you smoking?"

"You realise if Joker is brought in Hell is guaran-Fuckin'-teed to break loose!" Todd stated disbelievingly.

"I realise that, which is why you are to discover whatever Joker has cooked up, then end it and Him!" Balgowen replied.

There was stunned silence for several seconds before Todd leaned back, raised his arms and shouted, "THERE IS A GOD!"

* * *

"Jansen! Moines! With Me!" the two guards stopped talking and headed after Sgt Cash, "Batman's bringing Joker in!"

"Fuck!"

"There goes the neighbourhood!"

"Quiet!" Cash barked, "we're going to meet them at the scanner."

"Yes Sir!"

* * *

"Tunnel's full! Start the scan!"

Jason typed in the sequence, "Scan initializing!"

He tried to tune out Joker as the scanners played over him, nothing like the ones on Yorktown or Ark Royal but certainly above the bar, a warning indicator flashed, "Hold on, got a Red Light! Multiple prohibited items."

"I want Joker scanned again!" Cash barked.

"It's not the patient, it's Batfreak," Jason clarified.

"Ooooh!" Joker exclaimed, "what'd you sneak in with you Bats? Batarangs? Batclaws? Bat snacks?"

By this time the far door had been opened, "like he'd tell you," Jason spat.

"I want multiple weapons on him at all times!" Cash ordered.

* * *

Batman stared at me as he passed but said nothing, I was thankful for the full face helmet obscuring my features.

As Joker was led out, Jack walked up to me, "I got a bad feeling about this."

"If we weren't already jinxed I'd belt ya," I replied, "Come on, we need to secure the tunnel."

We backtracked towards the entrance, locking down the tunnel as we went and were lucky enough to be near the lifts just as Joker got free.

* * *

"Well that was unexpected, wasn't it?" Joker commented, then muttered to himself, "note to self, need stronger test subjects."

"Seeing as I'm feeling generous, I'll give you this one for free," Joker declared, stepping to the edge of the cell, "knock me off, I dare you. End this, pull the plug, Stop Me Once and For All!"

I watched as Batman drew a Batarang and drew it back, I wondered if he'd really do it, but was disappointed.

Joker laughed loud and long, "You're getting too predictable, Bats," he crowed triumphantly, then the cell began to move, "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have a party to organise. I've got guests flying in from all over Arkham. You'll see."

* * *

He ran through as the door opened, slowing when his radio went off.

"Batman, what's happening?"

"Joker's escaped, he's sealed himself off. He's got your Father," Batman replied.

"Dad," Barbara gasped.

"Don't worry, I'm get… Oracle?" Batman started, then stopped as the signal broke into static.

" _Wasn't enough, was it, Old man?"_

"Who is this?" Batman demanded.

" _How many more people have to die? How many more lives must be destroyed by this twisted game you play?"_

"What do you want?"

" _To finish what You started,"_ was the answer.

" _You took the best years of my life, Old Man, and for What? The same tired story again and again. Joker's right about one thing, You're Predictable, because of that the butchers bill gets longer. No More!"_

" _I'm going to finish where you failed all those years ago. Joker, Quinn they're not leaving this island alive, I have my orders and I'll gladly see them through."_

"This isn't the right way," Batman protested.

" _And who are you to claim yours is right?"_ the voice retorted, _"Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, they placed their faith in you and you betrayed their trust. It took ten months for Jason's torment to end, did you know that?"_

"How…"

" _I was there, Batman, six months he waited, believing that if he held out just one more day you would save him… then Joker showed him a photo of you and his replacement."_

"I didn't…"

" _Doesn't matter what you meant, he lost the will to fight. Then Barbara got caught in the crossfire of your twisted game with Joker."_

" _Your times past, Old Man. The Clown's drawn the ire of a higher power, they've given me the power to destroy the island and everyone on it if it means he's put down."_

"You'd kill hundreds of innocent people!" Batman argued.

" _A few hundred are acceptable casualties if it means saving tens of thousands from Joker's schemes. But take comfort in the fact it's the absolute last resort, personally I doubt it'll come to that. Stay out of my way and I'll stay out of yours, Old Man."_

The signal dropped, restoring his line to Oracle, "Did you hear that?"

"I did," Oracle replied, "I don't think it's a good idea to antagonise him, he _knows_ you."

"He does," Batman agreed, "any idea what he means?"

"Just one, shortly before you arrived City Hall announced that a private militia had been stationed on Arkham island to ensure Joker doesn't escape again, by any means necessary. The public leader on the island is someone called the Arkham Knight, I've sent you a photo," Oracle replied.

"See what you can dig up about him, I'm going to try and find out what Joker's up to," Batman replied, "hopefully I won't step on too many toes."

"Good luck, I think you'll need it," Oracle said, then cut the signal.


End file.
